


Help Me Piece It All Together, Darling

by groovyfingers



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Botany, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Grinding, Kissing, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Masturbation, My First Smut, Praise Kink, Slow Burn, Tutor Dedue, im sorry, self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:07:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23552044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/groovyfingers/pseuds/groovyfingers
Summary: The pair look at each other for a moment, Dedue smiling lightly and Ashe with a slight pink blush sitting on his cheekbones. The younger student is the first to break the silence, clearing his throat and looking down at Dedue’s neat handwriting.“I’m paying you to help me, we should start working so I can pass.” Ashe says in a joking tone. Dedue nods curtly, leaning his body over the table to begin teaching formulas to Ashe in greater detail.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 8
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! This was originally going to be a one-shot but as I was writing it, it made me sense to split it into two chapters. This is also my first time writing anything explicit! Kinda nervous about that, not going to lie. Thank you for reading!

Dedue breathed in deeply, though the sound was louder than normal in the quiet library. There were people chatting near him, but the silence still hit his ears, almost like it was deafening him. The man put the eraser of his pencil between his teeth, gnawing slightly at the spongy object. He looks around the huge place, trying to find his new student. It was virtually impossible due to the fact that Garreg Mach University had one of the largest libraries probably _ever to exist._ Dedue continues to wait at a comfortable booth-style table, hoping his student wouldn't become lost. He hasn't actually met the other student before, only knowing that he needed help with math, and that Dimitri had given the underclassmen Dedue’s credentials. 

_Dimitri did say he was a sophomore, he should be familiarized with the library already,_ Dedue thinks to himself, trying to kill the time. He looks down at the notes he brought with himself, hoping it would be enough to help his other student. Dedue was lucky enough to be surprisingly good at math, specifically trigonometry, and found it easy to teach to others. He never realized just how many students on this campus needed help in that area, and that he could make a decent amount of money being a tutor on the side. Dedue goes over the formulas in front of him, refreshing his memory though unneeded due to having a session the day previous. He’s pulled away from his thoughts when he notices a body move from in front of him.

Dedue looks up to see a silver-haired boy, young enough looking that he could barely pass for a high-schooler, let alone a sophomore in college. Pale skin that is decorated with dusty brown freckles. Pale green eyes that are shining in Dedue’s direction, and a smile so wide on his face that it nearly blinds him. He cocks his head to the right, looking at Dedue with close consideration, but still smiling. 

“You must be Dedue! I’m Ashe, it's nice to meet you.” Ashe says, his voice adorably boyish. Dedue is staring at him, rather rudely, but he can’t help himself. Ashe’s eyebrows slope downwards, in a look of confusion. Dedue clears his throat, trying to straighten himself out.

“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you Ashe. I know you have received my recommendation from Dimitri.” Dedue quickly sits up straight, his face showing little to no signs of emotion. Ashe laughs quiet enough that only he and Dedue could hear it. “Yeah, he told me to go to the library and find the ridiculously tall man with dark skin and white hair. He said specifically ‘and he’s very handsome, tell him I said that.’” Ashe smirks playfully at Dedue, the latter now feeling a blush rise on his cheeks. 

“He said that?” Dedue responds, still trying not to show any emotion. Ashe gives a small noise in the back of his throat, signifying a “yes.” Dedue clears his throat again, casting his eyes down at his notes. “Well, let's begin now.” Dedue says, moving his notes in front of his new student. Ashe outwardly groans, digging his hands into his back to find a pencil.

“I don’t even know why we have to do this! Why should I have to pass college-level trig to be able to _start_ studying culinary?” Ashe complains, grumbling slightly. Dedue laughs quietly at him, making the younger man turn toward him to look at him confused.  
“I am not laughing at you, I apologize. It is just I am a botany major, and I asked myself the same question.” Dedue smiles slightly, which makes Ashe beam. “A botany major, huh? I would’ve never thought!” Ashe places both of his elbows on the table and leans his chin onto his cuffed hands. He looks up to Dedue, silently encouraging the older student to talk more. “I like plants. I like to watch things grow, even more when I tend to them myself. Why do you seem shocked by my choice of major?” 

Ashe smiles softly. “You’re a math tutor. Though speaking to you, you don’t strike me as a financial type of person.” Dedue chuckles lightly at that. “You are studying culinary arts, you previously said?” 

Ashe’s green eyes shine brighter than they had before. “I love to cook, and bake, and anything that involves making things with food.” He sighs dreamily, looking off at nothing in particular. “It’s soothing, and I’m pretty good at it.” 

“Every food I have tried to make has been burned badly. I admire your talents.” Dedue says, the words shocking Ashe slightly, and even himself. Ashe only smiles back at him, and responds, “I don’t think I’ve kept a single flower alive for more than two days. I admire you as well.”

The pair look at each other for a moment, Dedue smiling lightly and Ashe with a slight pink blush sitting on his cheekbones. The younger student is the first to break the silence, clearing his throat and looking down at Dedue’s neat handwriting. 

“I’m paying you to help me, we should start working so I can pass.” Ashe says in a joking tone. Dedue nods curtly, leaning his body over the table to begin teaching formulas to Ashe in greater detail. After an hour or so passed, Ashe leaned back into the seat with his arms stretched behind his head. He moves his neck swiftly to one side and Dedue can hear the pop coming from the aching bones. 

“I think we should finish our session for today.” Dedue moves his arm across the table, picking up his notes but leaving Ashe’s own behind. The younger man shuffles the paper into a neat stack, then proceeds to stuff them into his backpack without second thought. He turns his neck to look at Dedue, smiling the same way he was when he first walked up. “Same time and day next week?” He asks. Dedue nods in agreement, pulling out his phone from his backpacks small compartment. 

“May I have your cell phone number? It would be beneficial if I could tell you quickly if something has to change, or if you have any questions.” Dedue gestures his phone towards Ashe, who quickly takes it from his grasp. He types into the phone, and momentarily puts it back in Dedue’s outstretched hand. Ashe then pulls out his own phone, the glow on the screen illuminating on his face. “I texted myself, so I have your number too!” Ashe types something quickly, then shuts the screen off. 

“Thank you so much for your help, Dedue. I’ll see you next week!” Ashe grabs his gray backpack from the seat, waving a hand and Dedue, and then walks towards the library stairs. The dark skinned man looks down at his phone to see that the other student labeled himself as “Ashe :)” in his contacts, resulting in a small smile. 

As Dedue walks down the cobblestone path towards the upperclassmen dorms, he looks up at the sky turning a brilliant orange color.

 _He was incredibly cute,_ he thinks to himself.

Dedue unlocks the door to his dorm with a soft click. He opens the door to find his roommate Dimitri lounging in his small bed, long legs dangling off the end. The blonde haired student is dressed in full school clothes, a blue lions sweater and sweatpants, making Dedue roll his eyes. Dimitri’s head pokes up as his friend enters, and his face lights up with a smile. He swings his legs off the bed and walks to meet Dedue near the door.

“Dedue! How was the session with Ashe?” Dimitri asks enthusiastically. Dedue looks down at him, the height difference making it hard to look at his level. “It went well, I believe.” He walks past Dimitri to sit on his bed to slide off his shoes, missing the annoyed look pointed in his direction by his friend. 

“Just ‘well?’ That’s it?” Dimitri replies, his hands on his hips. Dedue looks up to meet his eyes, confused by the frustrated look on his face. “What’s wrong, Dimitri?” He asks earnestly. Dimitri rolls his eyes, walking over to plop down next to Dedue.

“It’s nothing. It’s just…” Dimitri pauses, trying to find the exact words. After a moment he speaks again. “Ashe is a really nice guy, you know? I thought you two would hit it off!” The blonde elbows Dedue’s muscular upper arm. The taller student looks down at Dimitri with confusion.

“Are you trying to set me up with Ashe? Romantically?” He asks innocently. Dimitri groans loudly, throwing himself backwards into Dedue’s bed. “Yes, Dedue! That’s exactly what I’m trying to do!” Dimitri huffs out. Dedue stays silent until his friend talks again.

“Sorry Dedue. You’ve never even dated anyone before. I thought it would be nice.” Dimitri speaks out, not sitting up from Dedue’s bed. The taller man chuckles softly, patting his friend on the shoulder. 

“I understand, Dimitri. Thank you.” He responds. However, his reply makes the blonde pop up from the mattress like a coiled spring being released. “So, do you like him?” Dimitri asks with excitement. 

Dedue fidgets with his hands for a moment, feeling flush. “I have only known him for an hour, Dimitri-!” He’s cut off when Dimitri wraps his arms around Dedue, hugging him tightly out of nowhere. 

“I knew it!” Dimitri pulls back. “You’re blushing so much!” Dedue flushes even more, feeling the heat roll off his neck and face. “Dimitri, I have just met him today. I am not romantically involved with him.” Dedue answers.

“Yeah but that doesn’t mean you _won’t_ be in the future.” Dimitri crosses his legs on the bed, sitting so his body is facing Dedue’s side profile. Dedue rubs the back of his neck anxiously. He knows he won’t be able to mask his feelings around Dimitri since they’ve known each other for so long. He might as well throw his hand up and admit defeat.

“Well… he was rather cute…” Dedue says, not being able to meet Dimitri’s gaze. The other man practically jumps on the bed, shaking his friend's arm with excitement. Dedue knows already he’ll regret admitting that to Dimitri, but he can’t help but smile thinking about seeing Ashe again next week. 

_Is this how easy it is to like somebody else? Just one meeting?_ Dedue thinks to himself. He had never experienced this feeling before, though once a long time ago he believed he might be attracted to Dimitri; it was just a bond of high respect than anything romantic. 

“Don’t just wait Dedue, he is a very good looking guy. Are you going to ask him out next week?” Dedue sputters first a second, thrown off by Dimitri’s words. He thinks for a moment. “No. It is too early in our relationship to determine anything like that. If I believe the timing is right, I will ask him on a date.” Dedue almost can't believe the words coming out of his mouth. Him? On a date? 

Dimitri just smiles larger as he slips off the bed, standing directly in front of Dedue. “Look at you… they grow up so fast!” Dimitri says in a baby voice. Dedue rolls his eyes, but Dimitri brings him in for another hug, and he wraps his arms around his slimmer friend. The blonde steps back from their embrace, clapping his hands together unexpectedly.

“Alright, enough of that. Wanna head out to dinner?” The corner of Dedue’s mouth lifts up in a smile; Dimitri is always thinking about either food or his demanding major. He nods, and the pair swiftly leave, locking up their dorm. Dimitri continues to ramble on about his political science degree, while Dedue only slightly tones him out. They walk together in the crisp fall air, through the brightly lit campus toward the 24-hour open restaurants. Out of the corner of his eye, Dedue spots silver hair exiting one of the restaurants. It was without a doubt Ashe, barely balancing a coffee in his left hand and the notes he took with Dedue in his right. He continues to read and scribble notes while walking, his lips moving but Dedue too far away to hear anything. Ashe looks up for a split second to see where he’s going, and almost immediately locks eyes with his tutor. He seems frozen for a moment, but then smiles brightly at him and _winks._ It was Dedue’s turn to be frozen, but quickly found his barings again and nodded his head in Ashe’s direction. The sophomore smiles again, then walks in the opposite direction of Dimitri and Dedue towards the underclassmen dorms. 

Dedue looks over to Dimitri, who had missed the entire encounter because he was ranting about the efficiency of Congress for the fifth time this week. The taller man continues to listen to him, agreeing every now and again until they stop at a restaurant they both like. The pair sit down and Dimitri continues to talk. Dedue thinks about Ashe. 

|||

The next week, Ashe is at the table before Dedue is. He slides into the seat across from the silver haired man, and begins to pull paper out of his backpack. “Good evening, Ashe.” He greets calmly. 

Ashe looks almost as ecstatic as he was last week, but even more so now. He already has his chicken scratch notes pulled out with more paper for today’s lesson, but it’s covered by a box wrapped in deep blue cloth. “Hi, Dedue.” He responds, calm but also underlying anxiety. The younger clears his throat, nervously meeting Dedue’s gaze. “Um, I hope this isn’t weird but…” Ashe grabs the blue box and places it on Dedue’s side of the table. 

“I always make new friends food, I kinda guessed what you would like.” Ashe rubs the back of his neck, fighting to keep down a blush. Dedue just simply stares back at him, his mind reeling at the gift. 

“Thank you, Ashe. I appreciate it. I am excited to taste what a culinary major cooks.” His words calm Ashe down in a matter of seconds, the latter breathing out a sigh of relief. Dedue unwraps the cloth, and inside is a Tupperware box of four banana nut muffins. “May I?” Dedue asks, to which Ashe nods quickly. 

He pops off the lip of the container, even though he’s aware of the library’s no eating policy. He sticks his fingers in, plucking one of the muffins up; still warm to the touch. He tears off a piece from the top, and flicks it into his mouth. Unconsciously, Dedue makes a noise from the back of his throat, something between a moan and growl. He savors the taste for a minute longer, then he looks up to Ashe. The man's face is a bright pink and he’s wearing an extremely uncomfortable facial expression. 

Dedue clears his throat, trying to regain some composure. “These taste delicious, Ashe. You have an amazing gift and talent.” One of his big hands comes to rub the back of his neck. 

“Thank you.” Ashe squeaks out, avoiding the others' eyes. Dedue takes another bite of the muffin, this time masking his pleasure. “Let’s start shall we?” The silver haired boy asks, pencil in his hand already. The blush is starting to slowly drain away from his pale face, but is visibly flustered still. Dedue sets down the muffin back into the container, and leans over to start the lesson. He continues to eat small bites throughout the lesson, finishing the muffin by the time their lesson is over. Dedue gestures the container back to Ashe, but the younger shakes his head, his straight hair flopping.

“I made them for you, Dedue. Take them back to your dorm.” Ashe smiles brightly, putting his things back into his backpack. Dedue looks down at the muffins, his eyes going soft. “Thank you very much Ashe.” He wraps the blue cloth around the box again, tying it into a neat bow so he can carry it in his hand. The two stand up at the same time, and walk out of the library next to one another. 

Dedue notices how dark it got outside, looking at his watch face. The time reads 10:57 P.M. he groans, not noticing how late he and Ashe stayed inside the building. The younger student wraps his arms around himself, shivering at the cold September air. Dedue looks over at him, noticing for the first time just how small Ashe is compared to his own large size. 

_I have to be almost a foot taller than him. How would that even work?_ Dedue thinks to himself. He’s pulled out of his thoughts when Ashe turns to look up at him, his teeth chattering as he talks. “Well, g-good night Dedue.” Ashe turns away to walk, but Dedue reaches out to grab his shoulder. 

“I will walk you back to your dorm room.” Dedue says, not really thinking about it. Ashe’s face flashes with shock for a moment, then to flustered expression. “Are y-you sure?” The silver haired man asks. “People might talk.” He rubs his exposed arms, his eyes downcast to avoid Dedue’s gaze. The dark skinned boy takes his olive green coat from around his own shoulders, and drapes it around Ashe. The other gasps, but quickly snuggles deep into the oversized jacket. Dedue can hear him inhale deeply, and watches as he brings the coat tightly around his shoulders.

“Dedue… thank you so much.” Ashe says quietly, though the glint in his eyes gives away his emotions. Dedue stands next to him, and looks down as he feels Ashe huddle up next to his side. “You are welcome.” Dedue answers back. The two walk towards the underclassmen dorms in comfortable silence. Dedue looks down at Ashe every once and awhile, just so he can see his small frame draped around his large coat. _I really like the way he looks in my clothes,_ Dedue thinks, feeling a slight blush heat up his cheeks. They come to a stop in front of the second set of student dorms, Ashe turning his head up to look at Dedue. 

“Thank you again. I really appreciate it.” He begins to take the jacket off of his shoulder, but Dedue stops him with his own hands. “Leave it on. You can return it back to me next time we meet.” Dedue doesn’t know why he’s begging for Ashe to keep his jacket, even though he was slightly shivering. Ashe cocks an eyebrow, looking at him curiously. “Are you sure? I’ll be fine, I’ll just rush inside-“ Dedue cuts Ashe off abruptly. “No, I insist.” He says, avoiding eye contact with the smaller man. Ashe just smiles, burying himself deeper inside the large coat. “Okay, if you insist then!” Ashe walks to the front of the dorm house, and waves his hand back in a wave at Dedue. The cuff of the sleeve sags down, almost exposing his whole arms to the bitter cold. Dedue raises his hand, and a small smile. Ashe disappears inside the building, and the older man begins to walk back to his own dorms. 

Now it was just him and his own thoughts. Of course, they were wrapped around Ashe. They have been for the past week, and he almost worries that he’s going off the deep end. He was developing feelings way too quickly, but who could blame him? It was the first time he’s ever actually felt interested about another person. Before he could get out of his head, he winds back up at his dorm building, ascending the stairs two at a time. He’s dreading having to tell Dimitri about why he isn’t wearing his coat tonight. 

The next morning, Dedue wakes up early before daylight breaks. He looks over to Dimitri’s bed, where the blonde is still fast asleep. He quietly gets dressed, doing his best to not disturb his friend. Before he leaves the room, he grabs one of the two remaining muffins from the container. He remembers the way Dimitri devoured one after Dedue told him about the night before. He softly shuts the door, locking up, and heads outside the complex. His feet carry him through the campus. It’s not as cold as it was yesterday, but Dedue dressed himself with a school branded sweatshirt and sweatpants. He wasn’t ever concerned with his outward appearance, but he knew he wouldn’t be seeing other students this early on a Saturday morning. Dedue walks into the greenhouse connected to the science wing of Garreg Mach. He powers up the lights, activated by the solar panels he helped reinstall his freshman year. Checking on all of the plants inside the building, he makes his way over to the ones he was growing specifically. They were blooming nicely, but he was most notably looking at his growing mint plant. It was small, as most tend to be, but it was almost ready for the leaves to be cut off and regrow. 

Dedue tends to the other plants in his area, and makes the rounds helping other students plants that need extra water or soil replacement. The sun begins to shine in through the all glass building, so he shuts off the panel lights above him. Dedue removes his gardening gloves, and before he leaves, grabs the flourishing mint. He exits the plant, the pot perfectly cupped in his palms. Unfortunately, the science wing is all away across the campus from his dorm, so Dedue prepares for the trek back to the comfort of his warm room. The wind nips at his face uncomfortably as he walks through the main square of campus, where some students are snacking on breakfast, others doing their morning yoga, and others walking back to their dorms with shoes in their hands and feet black at the bottom. Dedue preferred not to think about the last one too hard. As he’s close to exiting the square, he notices someone familiar walking in the opposite direction as him, coming closer. It was unmistakably Ashe, with his short stature and silver hair. 

But there was another thing too. Dedue rakes his eyes down Ashe’s body. The younger man is wearing _his_ large jacket and high-top sneakers, and if he was wearing any pants, Dedue couldn’t see them underneath _his_ coat. He and Ashe make eye contact, and the other gives his signature smile in Dedue’s direction. 

_Why is he still wearing my coat? And why does it look so good on him like that?_ Dedue questions himself as he and Ashe get closer to each other. He doesn’t stop to realize that the blood in his body was traveling in the opposite direction of his head, making it more difficult to walk and remain composed. 

“Hi Dedue!” Ashe says cheerily. He doesn’t appear as flustered as he was the night before, though his cheeks were a light pink. “Good morning Ashe.” The taller man greets, now painfully aware of the heat between his legs. 

_Why is this happening to me? Is it because he is wearing my coat?_ Dedue thinks, trying to not let his emotions show through his face. Ashe cocks his head to the side, looking at the plant in his tutors hands. “What’s that for?” He asks innocently. Dedue looks down at the pot between his hands.

“Well, it is actually for you.” He extends his arms out, gesturing for Ashe to take the plant. Small hands come out to lightly pinch the leaves between his fingers. 

“Really? For me?” Ashe asks, his eyes looking in wonder at the small plant. Dedue smiles, his heart feeling tender. “Yes, consider it as a repayment for the muffins.” One of Dedue’s large hands envelopes Ashe’s, gently transferring the pot into his own hands. 

“It is a mint plant, I thought it would be beneficial for your cooking. It also takes minimal care. Just make sure it has plenty of sunlight and evenly moisturized soil.” Dedue begins to lecture, not even noticing that he and Ashe are still joined at the hands. Ashe is the first to pull away, bringing the plant close to his chest. He looks up at Dedue, his eyes and smile soft. “Thank you so much. I’ll take very good care of it.” 

Dedue nods his head curtly, relieved that Ashe likes the gift and that his erection was flagging. He wouldn’t have much trouble getting back to his dorm room after all. Ashe begins to talk to him again, though his eyes are looking at his shoes. “I would give you back this but…” Ashe trails off, his face flush with red coloring. “I don’t have much on under, so.” He says quietly. Dedue’s brain short circuits for a moment, and he can feel all his blood rush down south for the second time this morning. 

“That is… quite alright, Ashe.” Dedue replies, his voice wavering. They stand across from each other for a couple awkward seconds before Ashe clears his throat. His face isn’t any less red. “Thank you again, Dedue. I’ll see you at our next session?” He asks, though it wasn’t much of a question. “Of course. See you then, Ashe.” The smaller man gives a rushed smile, then walks swiftly around Dedue towards the square. Dedue watches him go, then focuses his sights on getting himself back to his dorm _as quickly as he could._ He ascends the stairs, three at a time, and fumbles to get himself into the room. He opens the door, relieved that Dimitri was gone to his early morning debate club meeting already. He won’t have to get himself off in the shower they shared with the next door neighbors. 

Dedue walks stiffly to his bed, laying back and his face flushed hot. He hasn’t been riled up in a long time, knowing subconsciously that he wouldn’t last long doing anything. He used the heel of his palm to relieve some of the pressure on his erection, palming himself lightly through his sweatpants. Dedue groans deeply from his throat, reminding him of the sound he made when he first ate Ashe’s muffins. His brain is filled almost entirely of thought of Ashe, especially him in _that damn oversized coat._ Dedue didn’t have time to analyze why it made him so hot, but something about Ashe swimming in his clothes did something to him. He pulls down the elastic of his sweatpants and boxers, shimmying them so that they rest around his thighs. He grasps his cock lightly in his large hand, just firm enough to have pleasurable pressure. Dedue’s breath hitches, quickly realizing just how long it’s been since he’s gotten off. Between school and work, he hasn’t had much time to think about himself. He begins to stroke himself, feeling only slightly shame thinking about Ashe wearing _only_ his coat and nothing else. The more he thinks about it, the more he begins to speed up, eventually resorting to just fucking up into his palm. Dedue feels himself between the tight and hot flesh of his hand, and thinks of the blush covering Ashe’s down to his neck and underneath the oversized jacket. With that image in the forefront of his mind, he comes, his release covering both his hand and slightly on the Garreg Mach crewneck sweater. Dedue groans loudly, feeling his whole body become tense, then suddenly slumping into his sheets. 

He breathes heavily, basking in the afterglow of his orgasm. The guilt slams into him only moments after completion. _You’re falling for him too quickly. You have known him for only two weeks._ Dedue’s mind wanders, thinking about Ashe telling him about what was underneath his coat and he begins to get hot again. He groans, rubbing his temple with his name not covered in his own release. Dedue gets off the bed, shuffling to the bathroom and jumping into the shower, turning the water straight to cold. 

_Idiot._ Dedue thinks, and leans against the freezing tile of the shower.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> phone flirting, test taking, and something else?

The following month at all of their sessions, Ashe and Dedue made it tradition to bring something for each week. The first week, Ashe brings warm miso soup for the both of them, and Dedue brought him a potted sage plant. They laugh, not realizing that this would be their new tradition. The next three weeks, Ashe brings baked chicken seasoned with mint, cheese pork cutlets, and tiramisu from scratch. To company, Dedue brought blooming basil, aloe, and a tomato vine that started to produce one large vegetable. He didn’t realize how much longer he and Ashe talked every week, one time even leaving a quarter past one. Dedue offered to walk him to his dorm every night, and Ashe always agreed. 

October and November went by like it was a bolt of lightning. One weekend Ashe couldn’t come to their regular meeting time because he had time off of work to go home. Dedue didn’t realize how much he missed his student until he was laying on his tiny twin bed, staring at the ceiling in silence. It was Saturday night, and the time he and Ashe were normally swapping gifts. He had already finished all his studying and work, and wasn’t going to reread his flashcards for the eighth time that night. His stomach grumbled, like it was longing for Ashe’s delicious homemade food. Dedue gets off the bed, throwing on a jacket to walk down to the square and get dinner. He walks into a small burger place, ordering a beef patty with mushrooms on it. He wishes he could give Ashe a mushroom plant since it was his favorite, but the fungi wouldn’t grow in a small area. He gets his food and starts to jot down in a small notebook he brought all of the plants he could grow for Ashe because they couldn’t be put in a small planter. As he’s writing, his phone starts to buzz in his pocket. Dedue reaches and pulls it out, but almost drops the phone when he sees the name glow on his screen. It reads “Ashe :)” the same way that the boy originally put it in two months ago. He stares at his phone for almost too long, quickly sliding the answer button before the call went to voicemail.

“Hello?” Dedue wish his voice wasn’t as shaky as it was. He can hear sounds in the background, voices of other people talking. Ashe laughs over the line, making Dedue’s heart contract in his chest, and then Ashe hushes something. There’s sounds of movement and then a door closing, and now just Ashe breathing over the receiver and quiet. “Hey Dedue.” Ashe finally speaks, and Dedue can’t hide the smile breaking across his face. 

“Hello, how is everything going at home?” Dedue asks. He longs to be at the library right now, talking to Ashe face to face. But just hearing his voice makes his pulse race. 

“Hectic, I had to come out because my brother and sister are being so loud.” He sounded annoyed, but Dedue knew that he had a wide smile on his face. Ashe has never told him about his family until their last meeting, when he told Dedue about canceling. “What are you up to?” Ashe asks.

Dedue hesitates, not knowing if he should tell the truth. However, he knows he’s a bad liar. “I’m having dinner right now, and writing a list.” He says vaguely. “What kind of list?” Ashe questions curiously. Dedue blushes, thankful that he wasn’t in front of the man for the first time in the last two months.

“If I am being honest, a list of plants that I can grow for you.” Dedue cringes after he answers, knowing he probably sounds like a fool. Could he be more obvious? But then Ashe starts laughing on the other side, and Dedue can’t remember what he was just thinking about. 

“You’re so good to me Dedue, did you know that?” Ashe’s voice is so warm. Dedue wants to be able to reach into his phone and grab him, bring him back to the university. “If I’m being honest too, I’m making a stir fry for everyone as a test before I made it for you.” Dedue can hear the nervous tremble in his voice. It makes him smile, like a teenager getting their first kiss.

“I appreciate it, Ashe.” There was silence between the two, just both of them listening to the others breathing. It was nice, it was like they were sitting next to one another. “I miss you.” Ashe breaks the silence, and then laughs immediately after. “Sorry, we’ve just come really close. I’m even wearing the coat you let me borrow all that time ago and I keep forgetting to give back. Am I making this weird?” Ashe laughs again, but it’s now laced with nervousness. Dedue swallows around the lump in his throat, remembering the day he saw Ashe in his coat _and the events that transpired due to that encounter._

“Not at all, Ashe. I miss you as well.” Dedue says earnestly. There’s another beat of silence, but it wasn’t unwarranted. “I would love to talk more but I need to get back inside. My brother and sister are famous for nearly killing one another.” Ashe says, which draws a small chuckle from Dedue, just low enough that Ashe could hear it on the other end. “That is probably for the best, have fun Ashe. I will see you next week.” Ashe was the first to hang up, leaving Dedue taping his pen on the pad of paper in front of him. Later that night while he was lying in bed he realized, Dimitri snoring lightly next to him, that Ashe called for no reason at all. It made him smile, turning over in bed and drifting off to sleep. 

The next week it dawned on Dedue that this would be he and Ashe’s last session together. The thought made him sweat in their usual booth, gripping two plants in his large hands: chili peppers and a potato plant. They were growing nicely, though he still wishes he could find a way to grow him mushrooms. Frankly, Dedue didn’t want his lessons with Ashe to end. Since his midterm was right around the corner, Dedue had no choice but to let him go with all the teaching he instilled in his students' brain. Not only that, but winter break was coming up soon. Dedue knows that Ashe will be going back home to spend time with his brother and sister, and that he himself will be spending the holidays with the Blaiddyd’s as tradition. He was thankful for the time he and Ashe spent every Saturday evening, but it was bittersweet letting him go. Dedue didn’t think they would become strangers, certainly not after last week's phone call and the fact that Ashe was texting him daily now. But it was different not having a set day and time to see each other every week. They never crossed paths due to Ashe being a year below him, and Dedue didn’t know what would become of his feelings for Ashe after tonight. Before he could drive himself insane with thoughts, Ashe walks up to the table holding a container of stir fry and wide smile as usual. Dedue gives a small smile back, passing the two plants over to Ashe’s side of the table.

“Two this week? What have I done to earn this, Dedue?” Ashe holds up the chili peppers, inspecting the ripe vegetables. 

“It is our last time doing meetings like this, so I thought I could bring two plants this time.” He answers bluntly, though there is a hint of sadness in his tone. Ashe’s cheeky smile fell slowly from his face, his expression now one of realization. “My midterm is next week, isn’t it?” Ashe says slowly, now not making eye contact with Dedue. 

“Yes, so let us begin so I am confident that you will pass.” Dedue changes the subject, not wanting to dwell on the facts of the occasion. They begin to work, with Ashe performing practice problems and only missing a small portion of them. Dedue watches him intently as he scribbles on paper, chews the eraser in between his teeth, eyebrows draw in confusion and then eyes light up when he’s confident in his own answer. Ashe was mesmerizing to observe, but Dedue also got to talk him through problems. They were friends in the very least, something Dedue wasn’t willing to give up just because their meetings were ending. They spend more than an hour and half on practice problems, Dedue holding back his coaching and Ashe getting more than 90% of his practice problems correct. It was coming close to the end of their session together, and Dedue became nervous as there were less and less things to do.

Ashe finished all of the problems Dedue had threw at him. He flicked a strand of silver hair out from in front of his eyes, acting like he had just placed first in an archery competition. Ashe crosses his arms in front of his chest. His face illuminates with a smug grin, but his eyes are soft. “I think I’m going to pass.” He says confidently. The sides of Dedue’s mouth curl up into a smile. “I am confident that you will pass. You have improved greatly, Ashe.” Dedue says with a hint of pride at his own teaching abilities. 

“It was all due to your help. I couldn’t have even started to understand this stuff without you.” Ashe reaches his arm across the table, which feels almost like a large barrier between the two boys. Ashe cautiously grips Dedue dark skinned hand, stark against his own small and pale hand. “Thank you.” Ashe says with great emphasis, looking right into Dedue’s eyes. The taller boy squeezes his companions hand lightly. “It was nothing. It was a pleasure getting to become your friend.” Dedue says calmly, also maintaining eye contact with Ashe.

The aura of the moment hangs in the air for longer than a moment. Holding each other’s hands limply, comfortable silence encapsulates the space Ashe and Dedue occupy. It was a moment Dedue wanted never to end, as he could just sit at a library booth holding hands with Ashe for forever. He noticed that Ashe’s hand was warm, much like his own. The younger is the first to put away. His palm and fingertips run against Dedue’s hand. As he pulls away, Ashe grabs his new plants and holds them up to his eye level. 

“I can’t wait to cook with these, you know?” He tilts his head forward. He studies the small chili peppers, and Dedue looks at his face longingly. Ashe looks up from his plants, getting a small flush when he realizes that Dedue has been watching him. He grabs his notes from the table covered in he and his tutors scribbles and formulas. “It’s late, do you mind walking me to my dorm?” Ashe asks, although he already knows the answer. Dedue opts to respond physically, giving a curt nod. Ashe grins, quickly shoving his papers into his backpack. He then picks up both of his plants in a cradling nature. It amuses Dedue, but he doesn’t say anything out loud. The pair exit the library together, pulling roughly at their coats due to the harsh winter approaching. Dedue noted sadly that Ashe wasn’t wearing his massive jacket, but he pushes the thought _far, far_ into the back of his brain. They walk for a moment without speaking. It was normally for the pair of them to lapse into moments of silence, both because the two weren’t the most talkative people, and they just enjoyed each other’s company. Dedue appreciated Ashe’s willingness to let things go unspoken, unlike Dimitri who always wants to fill empty air with his voice. 

Ashe speaks, slowly breaking the silence between the two. “What are you going to do for break?” He asks. Dedue looks down at him, seeing him blow into his hands to warm them up. “Every year I accompany Dimitri to his home for the holiday season. We have not discussed it yet, but I am sure that is what I will be doing again.” Dedue explains, to which Ashe nods. “What about yourself?” Dedue asks. Ashe laughs meekly before responding. “I’m going back home, to my insane siblings.” His tone is rough, but Dedue can see a smile from the lines in his eyes. “I’m just kidding. I love my siblings.” Ashe knocks his arm against Dedue’s, making the taller man look down at him again. 

“If you ever get bored of Dimitri’s palace, you can see my three bedroom townhouse overrun with two loud-mouthed twins.” Dedue laughs quietly at that, noting that Dimitri is the reason he did meet Ashe. “I will certainly take you up on your offer.” He responds, trying to knock Ashe with his arm without accidentally slamming him into the ground. They both chuckle into the night air, letting the moment linger like it did in the library. 

This is nice. Dedue thinks, feeling warmer as he walks in front of the underclassmen dorms. Ashe stops in front of the entry doors, fishing his student ID out of his pocket. When he grabs the piece of plastic he stops his movements to look up at Dedue. The older boy notices he looks a bit nervous, like he has something on his mind but can’t say it. 

“Uh, Dedue?” Ashe prompts. 

“Yes?” Dedue questions back. Ashe bites the inside of his cheek, and breathes in a large sum of the freezing air.

“I was wondering if after my exam that, um,” he trails off. Dedue doesn’t interject, waiting for Ashe to collect his thoughts before responding.

“I was wondering if you’d like to come over for dinner?” Ashe says, becoming less and less confident as he finishes the sentence. He wasn’t looking at Dedue either, but at his own hands near his chest. Dedue doesn’t have the chance to respond before Ashe begins talking again. “And when I say that I mean as like, a date. If I pass it’ll be a celebratory dinner and if I fail it’ll be a pity party but,” Ashe finally looks up at Dedue, his face the same shade of chili pepper he holds in his left hand. “I _really_ like you. So, as a date.” He finishes, letting out a sigh he probably didn’t know he was holding in. Dedue didn’t waste time trying to respond, so that he didn’t have to leave Ashe in any kind of suspense. “I would want nothing more than to have dinner with you Ashe, as a date.” He speaks. Dedue watches as the smaller boy’s shoulders slump down, relieving tension instantly. He leans down so that he’s just a little bit taller than Ashe, closing their height gap. 

“I like you too, Ashe. A tremendous amount.” He says quietly and softly. Ashe looks up to see Dedue not too far from him, and his face close enough that they were sharing the same breath. A small hand comes in contact gently with Dedue’s cheek, a thumb running across his jaw. The touch was pleasant, Dedue notes, being pulled closer and closer to Ashe. It was almost as if gravity was bringing them closer, because Dedue couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment their lips met. It was a shy, long linger of a kiss. It was apparent neither of them had any experience with kissing one another, but Dedue liked it quite a bit. He noticed how much Ashe liked it quickly, and the silver haired boy wrapped his lithe arms around Dedue’s neck after they broke apart. “Please, do it again.” He says, almost inaudible over the sound of blood rushing in Dedue’s head. He didn’t hesitate. Ashe pulled Dedue into the kiss once again, this time it was more confident than the last. The kiss was better as well, and their mouths moved against one another’s like it was always meant to do so. The two broke apart from another again, Ashe moving his arms from around Dedue’s neck to his palms resting on his chest. Dedue’s thick arms were now wrapped around Ashe’s small waist, bringing his body closer to his own. Feeling a burst of confidence, the larger man backed Ashe backwards, gently leaning him back on the glass panel walls of the underclassmen form building. For a moment he was grateful for the freezing weather, because he was on fire.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Ashe says, only a little bit out of breath. Dedue cocks his head to the side, smiling down at him, which in turn makes Ashe blush. “I should probably get inside, you know how R.A.’s are.” Ashe says awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. Dedue nods, unwrapping his arms from around Ashe and instantly missing the warmth. The smaller teen keeps his back against the cool glass for a second, thinking. He sighs, knowing that their night together was coming to a close.

“I’ll see you next week Dedue, with a passing score.” Ashe says, trying to bring the tension away from the air. It only works just slightly, since the pair can’t stop looking intensely at one another. “I know you will, Ashe.” Dedue responds, walking Ashe to the front doors once again. Ashe turns to the doors, moving his ID across the sensor. A faintly click comes from the doors, and he moves over to grab the handle. He stops himself for a moment, and quickly turns back around to face Dedue. Hurriedly, he reaches up to grab the back of the taller man's neck, bringing him down into a kiss that almost knocks the breath out of Dedue. They stay like that for only a split second, then Ashe is pulling away before his partner is able to reconcile. “I wanted to do that since twenty minutes into our first session.” Ashe confesses, his face red like he didn’t just kiss Dedue like his life depended on it. He just stares at the underclassmen dumbly, still thinking of how to respond, but coming up short. Ashe cuts through his brain dead state by laughing animatedly, unlocking his building once again. This time he does slip inside, but he only gets halfway through the door before pausing.

“Goodnight Dedue. I’ll see you next week.” Ashe says, still wearing a mask of confidence. Dedue gets some of his wits back to him, able to smile without feeling like a freak. “Goodnight, Ashe.” He says, bowing his head respectfully. Ashe just chuckles again, retreating into the dorm building slowly. Dedue watches him walk further into the building until he can’t see the boy anymore. He begins his walk back to the upperclassmen dorms still thinking about Ashe’s forwardness. Twiddling his thumbs idly, Dedue descends the stairs of his building two at a time, hoping that the room would be empty.

He had no such luck, as Dimitri was laying on _Dedue’s_ bed. The blondes head whipped up at the sound of the door creaking open. Dedue was not fazed by Dimitri being on his bed, but he was feeling awkward with the erection stiff between his legs. He shut the door behind him softly, though it wasn't necessary since Dimitri was looking directly at his face. The blonde set his book down on his chest. He makes no indications that he’ll get up from Dedue’s bed, so the taller man sits himself down on Dimitri’s bed. 

“Is there a reason you are looking at me strangely?” Dedue asks. Dimitri continues to look at him, now with the hint of a smile on his lips. He picks up his book, _Emergency Kit for Finding Common Ground_ , back up from his chest and looks at the pages once again. “Nothing, just that it’s late.” The blonde says, not looking at Dedue. The other cocks one of his eyebrows.

“Dimitri, you are not one of my parental figures.” He says with a form of humor in his voice. Dimitri laughs, setting the book down again. He swings his body in an odd way, in which his head is now hanging from off the bed and looking at Dedue upside down. He had a stern look covering his features, but Dedue found it hard to take him seriously from his childish position. “Did I do it?”

“Do what?” Dedue asks, puzzled. 

Dimitri’s smile almost overtook his face. “Did I play matchmaker?” He shifts again, now sitting with his legs crossed over one another. Dedue can already feel his face flush and covers his mouth with his rough hand. That was enough confirmation for the blonde, as he jumped out of Dedue’s bed and grabbed his big friends shoulders. 

“I can’t believe it worked! Do you like him, Dedue? Tell me!” Dimitri whispered-yelled like a giddy school child. Dedue didn’t want to admit it, but he was still hard from he and Ashe’s kiss, and Dimitri jostling his body around didn’t make _anything_ better. He figured if he was going to get out of this situation he would do what he’s best at: being bluntly honest.

“Ashe and I will be having a date next week, and we… shared a kiss tonight after I attended him back to his dorm room.” Dedue said, his neck burning hot. The kiss didn’t hit his brain until he said it outloud, which made him feel more bothered. Luckily, Dimitri let go of him in that moment, and Dedue looks up to see his friends face in utter shock. 

“I didn’t think I was THAT good of a matchmaker!” Dimitri went back to extremely peppy, trying his hardest not to bounce off the walls. Dedue found his behavior downright embarrassing. Dimitri has had many boyfriends and girlfriends before, and Dedue simply observed, but also felt happy for his friend. He assumes that's how Dimitri must feel for him at this moment. 

“Was he a good kisser? Isn’t this your first kiss, did you like it? Where are you guys going on a date?” Dimitri continuously asks questions, but before he can go on, Dedue puts his large hand on his friend's chest.

“Dimitri, you are asking too many questions.” He says bluntly.

The blonde pouts. “I’m your _best friend._ I should ask all of these questions, and you should answer them!” He places his hands on his slender hips.

“I did enjoy the act of kissing. It is a very pleasurable sensation.” Dimitri groans, slapping his open palm onto his face. He fell backwards to Dedue’s bed again.

“Dedue, you know I love you very much, but sometimes you sound like a textbook.” His voice is laced with frustration and teasing. 

“I apologize. We will be having dinner at his dorm room after he completes his exam.” Dedue continues, answering all questions thrown at him. This catches Dimitri’s attention, as he jumps back into Dedue’s personal space.

“You’re having dinner _in his dorm?_ ” Dimitri repeats.

“That is what I just stated.” Dedue responds.

Dimitri looks like he’s thinking too hard. He rubs his temples and sets a serious look on his face before speaking. “I would suggest that you go out and buy condoms before you go over.” He says with gravity. 

If Dedue wasn’t blushing before, he was now. “Why do you believe I should buy condoms?” He asks, feeling embarrassed. Dimitri rolls his eyes. “Why else would he invite you to his dorm, then? He could’ve easily asked to meet you at a restaurant.”

Dedue doesn’t look convinced. “Ashe wishes to prepare me dinner.”

“Dedue, that means he extremely into you!” Dimitri sounds exasperated. 

“He most likely has a dorm mate.” 

“Having a dorm mate doesn’t stop _anyone_ from having sex, Dedue. Do you think I’ve never had sex in here?” Dimitri levels. Dedue can’t control his nose from scrunching up; he’d rather not think of his friend's sexual escapades, especially when he’s sitting on his bed. 

_Dimitri does have a point. Is it possible that Ashe would be willing to jump immediately into a sexual relationship?_ Dedue thinks to himself. Then, he thinks about he and Ashe’s kiss tonight, and he honestly doesn’t doubt it. Then, Dimitri puts his thumb between his eyebrows, smoothing out the creases of thought. He smiles sweetly at his friend.

“Don’t think too much about it, Dedue. If you both like one another, then why overthink it?” He says.

“I have never had… sex before. I fear I will not make Ashe happy.” Dedue forces the words out. Yes, he is embarrassed, but is more afraid of Ashe then himself. Dedue was _much_ larger than his friend, and it was a very large possibility he could end up hurting him. It made Dedue feel uneasy and put out of place. 

“Again, it should feel natural. Ashe is a smart guy, he’ll know what he wants and doesn’t want.” Dimitri places a small gap of distance between the two of them. “Just don’t be afraid, Dedue.” Then Dimitri flashes him that million dollar smile, and Dedue can’t help but grin back. He felt more comfortable now that he'd talked to his friend with more experience and started to settle his nerves. 

_If Ashe would want to have sex with me, I would like to also._ Dedue finally confirms to himself, now laying in his own bed with the light turned off. He thought about their kiss again, and how turned on he got from just that, but willed himself down before he could continue his thoughts. It was nearing one in the morning, and he didn’t want to rush to the bathrooms to rub one out. Instead, he thought about how good the dinner Ashe would make, passed or failed exam. Dedue was fairly confident he would pass with flying colors, though. 

As he drifted between consciousness and slumber, Dedue heard Dimitri call out his name quietly. 

“Yes?” Dedue answers in the darkness. He turned his head to look at the blonde, but he was curle facing the wall.

“I’m happy for you.” He says simply, making Dedue smile. “Thank you, Dimitri.”

The next morning when Dedue woke up, he got dressed and went to the nearest pharmacy off campus, and bought a box of condoms.

III

The only way Dedue could explain Ashe’s texts were cryptic. It had been a week since they’d seen each other, since they’d kissed. If he remembered correctly, Ashe’s exam should already be over with. Luckily at the university, they almost always post test scores within three hours of completion due to small class sizes. Dedue would’ve thought that Ashe got his test results already, but not a word on the subject.

_Be at my dorm at 7, and don’t be late!_ The text read. And Dedue was starting to get nervous. Dimitri was gone for the evening with his study group, and the taller man didn’t know if that was a blessing or a curse. On the one hand, he didn’t have to listen to Dimitri give him more sex tips (which he had done _the entire week_ ), but Dedue did value his peptalks. Instead, he stood in his silent dorm looking at himself in the mirror. There’s not much he could do with his hair, but he did make sure the small ponytail didn’t look hastily tied up. He wore the only button up he owned, thanks to Dimtiri, that was a light lavender color, and black jeans that fit his ass nicely. The colors made his skin tone stand out, and Dedue thinks he looks pretty good. He checked his wallet for his student card so he could get back home, and which also housed three of the condoms he purchased. Blushing slightly, he put the trifold in his back pocket, and left for Ashe’s. He threw on a black coat for good measure as the weather was getting colder as the days went on. The walk to the underclassmen dorms was fast, as Dedue wanted to be slightly early, and he also yearned to see Ashe again. Arriving at the rooms a bit before seven, Dedue waited out in the cold for a couple moments. The campus didn’t allow students to use their ID’s to dorms they didn’t reside in, which at this moment felt that personal torture to Dedue. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and shot a text to the building's resident.

_I am outside._ He wrote simply. Not even two seconds after the text was sent, Dedue noticed that Ashe had read it. The bubble with three dots appeared on his screen, but after a few moments it disappeared without a message. Feeling slightly confused, Dedue slid his phone back into his pocket, and crossed his thick arms around his torso to maintain body heat. With his back turned away from the front of the building, Dedue didn’t notice Ashe coming to the front of the building. His ears perked up when he heard a clicking noise, turning to get his first look of Ashe in over a week.

And he was fucked.

Ashe looked _different_ , to say the least. His normally unkempt hair was slightly slicked to the side, his gray bangs covering half of his forehead. Dedue didn’t realize how long his locks were until Ashe took the time to actually style his head. The style also made him look older, even if he did have a boyish face. Dedue, while he did appreciate the hair, couldn’t help be drawn to another aspect of Ashe’s appearance. Covering his frame was the original jacket that Dedue lent him when the first cold front broke through, the jacket that Dedue fantasized about way too often. The younger man looked like he was wearing a dress, the navy cashmere twill hitting right before his kneecaps. The outfit resembles exactly what Dedue saw him wear in the court, along with the white hightops laced around his ankles. What was missing, however, was the shy expression on his face. It was now replaced with a look of confidence, and a sly smile. Dedue feels his throat bob, but he returns Ashe’s smile. 

“Hey! Come on up.” Ashe holds the glass door open with his foot, and the taller man walks past him and into the pleasantly warm building. Before he gets the chance to defrost, Ashe slides his hot (and small) hand into Dedue’s, tugging the man along and towards the stairs. “You’re freezing! Sorry if I made you wait long.” Ashe stops to say, looking up at the dark-skinned man. Dedue shook his head, which caused Ashe to smile, and started pulling his arm again. Dragging behind, Ashe took Dedue up the stairs to another floor, and the jacket did _nothing_ to hide what the smaller man was wearing underneath. Dedue forced himself to look at the ground, his wind chafed face burning. After another excruciating flight, Ashe pulled him to a hallway lined with dorm rooms. It was much like Dedue’s own building, though his was slightly larger for the amount of upperclassmen. He also recognized that it was the dorms that had bathrooms attached to the rooms, rather than communal. Dedue silently thanked the goddess for this small fact. They stop in front of room 1017, and Ashe removes his hand from Dedue’s to fish for his keys in the coat’s pockets. He missed the warmth the smaller man was giving him. Producing one single silver key, Ashe unlocked the door to his room, all but pushing the taller man inside. Instantly upon his entering, Dedue’s senses were flooded by the smell of the small kitchenette. Roasted vegetables were the first thing he could detect, as well as a vinaigrette dressing fragrance. Ever since meeting Ashe, Dedue has to admit that his palette has become more refined, and he was better at detecting certain foods by smell. 

“Ashe, your cooking smells quite appetizing.” Dedue says, looking over at his friend. What he doesn’t expect is for Ashe to be already looking at him with a hungry look in his eyes. The stare alone makes Deude flush. He opens his mouth to speak further, but is stopped his Ashe grabbing at his shirt collar and pulling him downwards. They were kissing, much like they were a week earlier, but it was slower this time. Ashe took the lead, wrapping one of his hands behind Dedue’s neck to hold him steady. The other man replicated, but instead cupped Ashe’s face with his large hand. His thumb roamed in a swiping motion against the top of the smaller man's cheekbone. They stayed like that for a while, just Dedue leaning down to kiss Ashe slowly, but lovingly. They pulled apart for Ashe to catch his breath. He leans his forehead against Dedue’s, breathing the same shared air. His spring green eyes stared into Dedue’s, holding tension just in a look.

“Am I going too fast?” Ashe asks quietly, like he was afraid to break the moment. “I want you, Dedue.” He continues before the other gets to answer the first question. Ashe steals his lips again, this time Dedue was prepared. He was too afraid to admit it, but Dedue was not accustomed to anything romantic. The kiss last week was his first. He was slightly embarrassed when he looked up articles on kissing, most likely written by teenage girls. Of course Dimitri walked in on his surfing, and actually _explained_ how to properly make out with someone (thankfully he didn’t try to give a demonstration). Dedue stuck his tongue out, slowly tracing it across the crease of Ashe’s lips. The smaller man made of noise in the back of his throat, opening up his soft mouth. Dedue thought it felt strange, his tongue roaming Ashe’s mouth, rubbing against the others muscle as well. But that didn’t mean it felt bad, actually the opposite. It was a new sensation, but he was starting to understand why people were so obsessed with this. The small noises Ashe was making also helped the case. Dedue knew he was breathing hard, but the restrained moans coming from Ashe’s mouth was deafening. He would have to write a lengthy thank you note to Dimitri. 

Ashe pulled back first again, taking in gulps of air. His face was bright pink, contrasting with the light brown of his freckles. He wasn’t looking at Dedue this time but at his shoes. The confidence at the front door was temporarily gone, and Dedue thinks he might have broken him. 

“Ashe?” Dedue says, and he notices his voice has never been that quiet. Ashe looks at him, one side of his mouth pulled up in a grin. He looked nervous.

“I have never done anything intimate with another person before. However, if you would like to, I would also like to do many things with you.” Dedue says, trying to keep his voice from wavering. If he was honest, he was nervous as well. 

“Kiss me again.” Ashe requests. Dedue wastes no time, diving in and shoving his tongue into Ashe’s mouth. Nimble arms wrap out Dedue’s neck, giving him an idea. He did more research, none that Dimitri had any participation in. Whenever the blonde was out somewhere, Dedue would look at porn. He had done it before since he was in his early twenties, but to this day it had little to no effect on him. It was superficial, and everything came across as fake. He still felt like it could be a learning experience, and the videos that were organic did take a toll on him, especially when thinking about Ashe. He moves his hands down Ashe’s frame, going low to grab him from just under his ass. Eliciting a yelp from the small man, Dedue lifts him off his feet. Ashe now wraps his legs around the trunk that is Dedue’s waist. Moving forward, Ashe’s back meets the wood door softly, and Dedue presses against his front. He saw this in one of his late night videos, and thought it would be easy to replicate with Ashe. The silver haired man was so light in Dedue’s arm that he felt like air. But the pressure against his waist and neck were real, as was the prodding of Ashe’s cock through his thin briefs. The dark blue coat pulled up so the bottom was sitting in the crease where Ashe’s pelvis and thighs meet. A soft moan is pulled from him, biting his bottom lip while slightly grinding his hips into Dedue’s shirt. He let Ashe rest against the door, using his entire body weight to pin the man between himself and the wood. Bringing one of his hands up, Dedue swipes the pad of his thumb across Ashe’s lip, removing his gnawing teeth from the flesh. 

“You are beautiful.” He says with sincerity, tone darker. Dedue’s seafoam green eyes meet Ashe’s vibrant ones. Silver coloured eyebrows pulled together, and his face stretched into a shy grin. He turned his eyes away from Dedue’s gaze, trying to hide the immense blush dusting down to his neck. “You can’t just say things like that Dedue.” He mumbled. 

“Why not? It is true.” The man leveled. His large palm turned the pale man's face to look directly at him. He watched as the man sandwiched between him and the wall swallowed thickly. 

“Saying things like that…” Aseh trails off, his face somehow becoming more red. Dedue cocks one eyebrow up, but lets the other collect his thoughts. “It does stuff to me…” He trails off again, but Dedue gets the point. He moves his head down, and starts to kiss up and down the others neck. It takes Ashe by surprise, mewling softly as Dedue nips and sucks softly. His skin is so fair it may be possible to get a bruise with a little bit of suction. Ashe’s hands wrap around the back of Dedue’s head, his long fingers gripping the hair tie and pulling it out. His digits raked through the shoulder length strands as Dedue continues his assault on Ashe’s throat. 

“You are so beautiful. You are so good for me.” Dedue speaks into Ashe’s collarbone. The desired effect was achieved as just the words alone made the silver haired man shiver. “Dedue, you’re embarrassing me...” Ashe complains, but his leaking cock argues against his position. Dedue continues to attack his neck, sometimes coming up to pepper his face and lips with kisses, all while whispering praise into his skin. It seems like the words have almost the same effect as the touches, and Dedue makes sure to remember that. 

“Dedue, can we move to the bed?” Ashe whines. Without answering, Dedue lifts him up and carries him over to the twin sized bed. Seeing Dedue sleep in a bed too small for him is comical, but at the moment he uses the elevated bed to his advantage. He removes his hands from under Ashe’s thighs, letting the small man’s back hit the mattress softly. The top half of his body laid on the bed while his legs remained wrapped around Dedue’s ass. Dedue stays standing, caging Ashe inside his own bed. The jacket is hiked up even more now, revealing Ashe’s boxer briefs complete and a sliver of pale stomach skin. 

“We, uh, don’t have to go… _all_ the way tonight.” Ashe says. He seems nervous saying it, but looks to Dedue like he’s regained some confidence. 

“If you do not want to have sex, I am okay with that. However, if you would like to, I want to.” Dedue says bluntly. He doesn’t know how he was being able to stay so calm, taking charge. 

“Oh, I want to have sex.” Ashe returns, almost all of his nervousness fading away due to the others confession. Dedue flushes at that. “I just… I like you so much. This will be my first time doing _it_.” Ashe says. The blush returns to his face, but he maintains eye contact with Dedue. 

“Mine as well, but I know I want it to be with you.” Dedue says genuinely. The two look at each other for a moment, but the look conveys enough that they continue. Ashe unwraps his legs from around Dedue, and he moves his body up on the bed so he’s sitting. Dedue misses the position already, but then the other man is patting the bed next to him. He goes to move, but right before he sits he’s interrupted. 

“Ah, wait.” Ashe interjects, getting off the bed himself. He moves his eyes up to look at Dedue before stepping forward and resting his hands on the man's chest. His nimble fingers get to work, quickly undoing the buttons of his shirt to reveal his chest. For the first time that night, Dedue feels rather insecure. He didn’t go topless around many people, mostly due to the scars that litter his body that reminds him of times before Dimitri. He was lucky that only two of the cuts reached his face, on his lip and one of his eyebrows, but the raised skin scattered his chest specifically. Getting to the last button, Ashe pushes the lavender fabric off his shoulders and onto the dorm floor. His hands waver in front of Dedue’s body for a moment, the two of them making eye contact before Ashe touched him. Their skin touched, Ashe’s hands roaming the broadness of his chest and torso. His finger tip traced the deeper scars on his breasts, eyes seeming fascinated by the skin discoloration. The moment ended just as quickly as it started, but Dedue felt like crying at that exact moment. Removing his hands from Dedue’s skin, Ashe moved down and undid the others black jeans. They go down quickly, along with Dedue kicking his shoes and socks off along with it. He stood only in his briefs now, his thick cock straining against the burgundy fabric. Ashe’s eyebrows rose briefly, but didn’t reach out to touch. Instead, he brought his hands to his own chest and twiddled with the top button of the jacket, Before he could start stripping, Dedue caught the smaller hands with his own, stopping the process. Ashe looked at him, confused.

“I…” Dedue had to take a moment to contemplate his choice of words. “I would like it if you kept the jacket on.” He admitted. Ashe smirked, unbuttoning just the top of the coat so that it showed more of his chest and shoulders. The sleeves covered his hands, but he grabbed Dedue’s arm and brought him over to the bed. The taller man sat first, his back pressed against the cool brick walls and his legs fully stretched out. Ashe joined him, sitting with his feet tucked underneath his ass between Dedue’s thighs. Rolling the sleeves of the jacket up a bit, Ashe’s exposed hand and wrist reached out and traced Dedue’s dick confined in his boxers. Suppressing a moan, the larger man flexed his thighs and groaned quietly in the back of his throat. 

“I’ve never had actual sex, but,” Ashe continues to grace his fingers along the print, inching up towards the waistband of the briefs. “I did some small things in high school. I was waiting for someone I really liked for _this_.” Ashe concludes before pulling the briefs off and down Dedue’s legs. His stiff cock sprung from it’s confinement, slapping the bottom of his chest lightly. The sensation made him jump, eliciting a small giggle from Ashe. Dedue was glad that the other man had some experience, so that everything won’t be entirely new to the both of them, just himself. Ashe’s small hand wrapped around the middle of the dark shaft, just barely able to fit the whole thing in his fist. Dedue hissed at the contact, reeling at the new sensation. The silver haired man stroked just slightly, but momentarily leaned over to grab a medium size bottle of lube from his drawer, already partially used. He put a decent amount of the slick on his hand, and returned his attention to the large cock in front of him. He gripped the base of the shaft, thumbing the underside. Dedue shut his eyes for a moment, just simply feeling and processing that _this is actually happening._ The moment didn’t last long, because soon his lids were flying open at a warm and wet heat around him. Looking down, the sight of Ashe’s mouth covering the head of his cock made him moan darkly. His tongue flicked slightly at his slit, making Dedue jump and forcing his cock slightly deeper into the wet heat. Ashe pulled off, breathing heavily through his nose. His hand stroked from base to the middle of the length. The two made eye contact, Dedue’s heaving breaths paired beautifully with Ashe’s lust blown eyes. He continues to stroke, and Dedue reaches his hand out and sets it so it’s cupping Ashe’s jaw. “You are so good, so good for me.” Dedue says deeply, making Ashe squirm. The smaller boy swings his leg around one of Dedue’s thick thighs, mounting his leg. Every time he stroked upwards, Ashe’s hips would jerk in the same moment. Underneath him Dedue could feel the drag of the man’s thinly clothed cock drag against the sensitive skin, driving him just slightly wild. 

“You look so beautiful, Ashe.” He spoke up, his voice wavering slightly due to the attention the other was paying to his head. Ashe lets out a particularly loud moan, putting his head against the tan pec attached to the other man. Dedue’s hands came to Ashe, grabbing both globes of his ass from under the jacket. Taking his hand away from the others shaft, Ashe fists one hand in the sheets and the other claws at this lover's shoulder. He buries his face into Dedue’s chest, hot pants of breath ghosting across the dark nipple. Assisting him, Dedue helps Ashe rock into his leg. His light blue briefs were becoming stained with a wet print as he continued to grind into the piece of solid flesh. “Just like that Ashe…” Dedue says into the shell of his ear, making the silver haired man moaning loud once again. 

Grabbing his waistband, Dedue pulls down Ashe’s briefs over his ass and freeing his cock. The fabric stays around his spread legs so they don’t stop the motion they have set. Now, Dedue can feel the slick coming from the other man's head grinding hot against his leg. 

“Dedue… Dedue…” Ashe says abstantmindily, faltering in his thrusts. He stops slowly, raising his burning face from others chest, looking him in the eyes. “Did you bring a condom?” He asks, not feeling shy. 

Dedue feels his neck burning. He nods, glancing down at his clothes thrown haphazardly on the ground. Ashe tilts his head, bringing his thighs back together and scooting away so Dedue could clamber off the bed. Dedue stands and grabs the black jeans as Ashe removes the briefs from around his legs. He notices he was still wearing his shoes, and removes those as well. Dedue retrieves one of the condoms from his wallet, placing the gold foil next to Ashe on the bed. He climbs back onto the mattress, now facing each other. 

“I prepped myself just a bit before you came, but,” Ashe leaned back and put his head on his pillows. He spreads his legs so that the other man could fit between, while also exposing himself. Dedue grabs the lube that had been scattered in the bed, the popping of the cap sounding louder in that moment. Dribbling some of the substance on his index finger, he moves the digit towards Ashe pink hole. Dedue had seen many videos of other men doing this, and Dimitri had explained it in _great_ detail. He pushes his finger inside, slightly surprised there was no resistance. A small gasp escaped Ashe’s lips and he threw his head to the side. Thrusting in and out a couple of times, Dedue removes and goes back with two slicked fingers. Adding another didn’t present a challenge, however it was more of a stretch than before. Ashe lets a moan rip from his throat, slightly flexing around the digits. 

“You… You’re fingers are-ah… so thick,” Ashe tries to piece together. Dedue thrusts them in, drawing more groans from the man underneath him. 

“You are doing great, Ashe… you are so heavenly.” He thrusts his fingers in to punctuate. Ashe whimpers, now looking down at where Dedue’s hand is inside him. He removes his fingers again to add more slick, returning with three. Easing them in slowly, there was now a resistance. As he moves in deeper, Ashe starts to become more loose and Dedue spreads his fingers out to get more of a stretch. He thinks back to what Dimitri had told him about finding a certain spot--.

“DEDUE!” Ashe shrieks, which slowly morphed into a cracking moan. Dedue stops his moment for a moment, to which Ashe tries to fuck himself back onto his fingers. “ _Please, please… again..._ ” Ashe cries desperately. All of the blood in Dedue’s body rushes straight to his cock, turned on immensely by hitting Ashe’s prostate. He angles his fingers towards the spot again, jabbing his fingers into the bundle of nerves. Ashe lifts his hips off the bed, trying to meet Dedue’s assault. After a couple more stabs, Dedue slows and simply massages at his prostate. Ashe reaches down and grabs the thick wrist, stopping dedue’s movements.

His eyes are blown, his beautiful green eyes almost engulfed by black pupils. His once stylized hair was now tattered by the trashing and pillows. “Stop… please, I’m going to cum…” His face is bright red and slightly sweaty. At a loss for words, Dedue nods and removes his fingers. Ashe clenches at nothing. They both take a moment to collect themselves, Ashe gripping the base of his cock harshly while Dedue grabs and unwraps the condom. Pinching the top, Dedue rolls the latex on as Ashe watches him. Using the bottle of lube to slick himself up, Dedue pumps his dick a couple of times, groaning in the back of his throat. Dedue climbs up the lithe body in front of him, bracing his forearms on either side of Ashe’s head. Foreheads resting against one another, they simply look at one another for a moment. Ashe is the first to move, leaning up to capture Dedue’s lips. The kiss is tender, slow and soft. There was no urgency in the roll of their mouths and the press of their tongues. Separating brings them back to the moment where Dedue’s heavy cock is pressed against Ashe’s thigh. Moving back slowly, Dedue grabs his shaft and rubs some of the lube onto Ashe’s hole. Nesting his head between soft cheeks, Dedue looks back up to Ashe, locking gazes. The silver head nods, telling Dedue to proceed silently. Easing in slowly, Dedue’s head pops into Ashe. He can instantly feel the grip on his cock, Ashe’s walls pressing down onto him tightly. It was difficult to go slowly, but Dedue watches the look on his lover's face for any discomfort or pain. He was much larger than Ashe in every way, so it was important for them to take their time. Every couple of moments Dedue pauses to let Ashe become comfortable and adjust to the size. Bottoming out took long, excruciating minutes; by the time he made it, Dedue thought he was going to bust. He slid out just slightly to grip the base to stop himself from coming, but even the slightest movements took its effect on both of the men.

“Dedue, _move._ ” Ashe grounds out, moving his hips in small circles. Dedue compiles, moving his hips back half way and sinking back into the tight heat. The both of them moan in unison. Dedue drops back to his forearms, blanketing Ashe with his body but not applying any weight. He keeps the pace slow at first, trying to get accustomed to the movement, tightness, and not coming instantly. They share kisses between thrusts, Ashe moaning directly into Dedue’s mouth. It didn’t take them long to get used to the slide, resulting in long legs being wrapped around a strong back. “Faster, please.” Ashe pleads. He digs his heels into the small of Dedue’s back, urging him on. 

The taller man sits back on his haunches, gripping at Ashe’s narrow hips. Dedue pulls almost all the way out, and then slides back in at a faster than previous pace. Ashe throws his head back, not making a sound but simultaneously claws at Dedue’s shoulders. He continues with that pace, snapping his hips faster as Ashe gets louder. His large hands roam around, pushing the navy jacket up Ashe’s torso. The fabric bunches up just underneath his neck, exposing his entire chest and torso. Dedue gets a scope of how large he is compared to Ashe; wrapping his hands around the man's waist and splaying a flat palm across Ashe’s stomach makes him look _huge_. His darker skin in contrast to Ashe's porcelain tone also made for a beautiful image in Dedue’s eyes.

“You are so perfect, Ashe. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” Dedue huffs out between blows, resulting in Ashe arching his back in a seemingly painful way. Dedue continues to grip at him, slightly changing his angle until Ashe is practically _screaming_.

“Dedue.. Oh-oh my Goddess…” Ashe couldn’t formulate a basic sentence. Dedue was nailing his small bundle of nerves with each snap of his hips. Noticing the bright red head of his cock, Dedue grabs Ashe and begins to jerk him. The silver haired man stops saying full words, just babbling, whining and moaning while Dedue fucked into him deeply. Ashe grabs the man's toned arm, slightly digging his nails in.

“Dedue-!” He shouts, and then his back is arching once again. His hole tightens like a vice grip on Dedue’s cock, trapping him inside. Ashe comes, his spend hitting his stomach as well as splashing upwards, staining the navy coat. Dedue continues to snap his hips, getting Ashe through his orgasm and the waves of aftershock. The man beneath him goes limp, but Dedue is still chasing after his own release. Ashe turns his head into the pillow underneath him, biting into the plush to keep himself from screaming due to overstimulation. Not moments after Ashe meets back at Dedue’s thrusts, the bigger man comes, releasing into the condom and growling loudly into Ashe’s collarbone. 

The world is silent for a moment as Dedue comes down from his high. Ashe’s labouring breaths were the only sound that came through. He keeps himself up on shaky legs so that he doesn't crush the cute boy underneath him. Ashe grabs Dedue with both of his hands, pulling his chin down for a chaste peck on the lips. Pulling apart, Ashe smiles brightly. Dedue couldn’t help but replicate it. He rolls from on top of Ashe onto his back next to the man. He takes off the used condom, tying it and throwing it in the paper filled waste bin. 

“We need to shower.” Dedue points out, specifically looking at Ashe’s stomach and chest. The smaller man groans, unbuttoning the soiled coat, and wipes off the drying come from his body. 

“I’ll buy you a new coat. I’m just really tired now.” Ashe drives the point home by yawning. Grabbing the strong bicep, Ashe forces Dedue into a position where his head is pillowed on the bigger man's breast, curled into the warmth. He slings a blanket that was pushed in the far corner of the bed over the two of them. 

“Would you accept being my boyfriend?” Dedue asks, looking at Ashe’s side profile. The other, who is looking at the ceiling, smiles softly. He turns to meet seafoam eyes.

“Of course. I would love nothing more than to be your boyfriend Deude.” Ashe says with such sceneriness, Dedue could feel his eyes burn. They let the moment lapse into a silence, Ashe trailing his fingers across Dedue’s chest. 

Dedue is lucky, he believes. His first kiss, his first time, and his first love is all the same man. Who would’ve thought it would stem from Dimitri sticking his nose in someone else’s business? Well, Dedue could have thought about it.

“Oh!” Ashe says suddenly, pulling Dedue out of his almost sleeping state. “I forget to tell you, but I passed my exam!” He exclaims happily. Dedue felt immense pride and joy for his student, and kissed him silly as his reward for all his hard work.

<3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry guys this was just porn lol. Special shout out to my friend K, who helped me figure out what color Dedue's eyes are! I'm colorblind so it was hard for me to tell by myself. Thank you so much for reading!


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